This invention relates to a new and improved tape handling apparatus and in particular, to an apparatus suitable for handling an endless loop of magnetic tape for making duplicates of the tape. Apparatus of this type, sometimes referred to as a tape duplicator, is widely used in the audio tape field for producing duplicates of audio master tapes for packaging in cassettes.
Apparatus of this general nature is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,499,589 and 3,608,798. The general arrangement of such tape handling apparatus includes a tape loop bin in which the major portion of the endless loop of tape is stored. The tape is pulled from one end of the bin, moved past a reproduce head assembly, and injected into the opposite end of the bin when a horizontal bin is utilized. When a vertical bin is utilized, typically the tape is both pulled from and injected into the top of the bin. In operation, the forward speed of the tape moving from the bin past the reproduce head assembly and back to the bin is relatively high, while the forward speed of the tape in the bin is relatively low.
In duplicating a tape by this method, the entire tape has to be moved past the reproduce head in order to produce a duplicate, in contrast to the manufacture of a phonograph record where the entire performance is produced in a single pressing operation. Hence production of tape duplicates is a time consuming operation and therefore it is desirable to have a tape handling apparatus which can be operated at higher and higher speeds and which can have greater tape capacity.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tape handling apparatus capable of operating at higher speeds under continuous operating conditions and without requiring particular operator attention.
By way of example, a present day tape handling apparatus will handle about 1,800 feet of tape operating at a tape linear speed of about 240 inches per second. The presently preferred embodiment of the present invention will handle 2,400 feet of tape operating at a tape linear speed of 480 inches per second.
A typical magnetic tape comprises a plastic strip with a layer of magnetic material on one side. The magnetic heads used in tape reading and tape writing make rubbing contact with the magnetic material side of the tape and this cannot be avoided since it is required in the operation. However continued contact with the magnetic material tends to deteriorate the tape and therefore it is another object of the present invention to provide a tape handling apparatus wherein the only contact with the magnetic material side of the tape occurs at the magnetic head or heads in the reproduce head assembly.
Other objects, advantages, features and results will more fully appear in the course of the following description.